<p>@ucb Like Canadians being mistaken as American in France?</p>
<p>
Niquii,
Maybe cobrat had a cousin on your elevator and can shed some light on the situation.</p>
<p>I have a report to make. I just got back from a trip to the doctor’s office, blood lab, and pharmacy. I interacted with numerous people who had to ask my name. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM remarked upon it, except the doctor’s office receptionist.</p>
<p>Now, admittedly, they didn’t ask me where I was from, although in Maine the big thing is whether you are from Away. Connecticut, Nigeria, all the same. :D</p>
<p>So if the OP is still reading, take this into consideration when you feel singled out. There is no doubt that it is different to be a visible minority, but try to take the long view. Try to assume good intentions. It will help you in the long run.</p>
<p>When I was a student, the Canadians I met in Europe all had to little maple leaf sewn on their backpacks or jackets, just to avoid being mistaken for us.
I find them very friendly, in Maine. Maybe I know how to pass for a “From Here.” Which may seem to be off topic- but lots of folks would like to “fit in” as Americans, not always stand out.</p>
<p>When I was travelling in Europe during one College summer, I discovered that apparently I speak french with a British accent. More than one Frenchman thought I was from Angleterre.</p>
<p>After lunch today, met a woman with a very thick, southern drawl. She taunted us to ask her where she is from. Turns out she is from “Bed-Stuy” (Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn).</p>
<p>Dang, I want to know where the Maine posters live. But I’ve never, you know, asked. Likewise, I am sure many of us wondered about others’ details, but stop there. </p>
<p>My grandfather hated being asked. He felt he was a Real American- worked, paid taxes, stayed on top of current events and voted. Volunteered for WWI (as a recent arrival,) liked to hang out at the VFW or American Legion, whichever it was. He’d hold a grudge if someone pressed or labeled- or accused him or “his people” for problems in the old world or here.</p>
<p>I LOVE saying I’m from Bed-Stuy, even though I moved to Queens from the nursery, and have lived in California for 25 years. My son claims to be from there, and to be “Jamaican”, even though he was born on an Air Force Base in California.</p>
<p>My husband is from Jamaica, and my mom’s family from Nevis, and I am always intrigued by subtle nuances in West Indian accents, but I rarely ask a stranger. Same with the countries in sub Saharan Africa. Same with various “Asians”. I would be mortified if they took offense! Might be crazy, but it works for me!</p>
<p>This person claimed to have moved from Bed-Stuy when she was 10, shrinkrap.</p>
<p>My DH was born and raised on a military base in the Pacific. No one ever, ever guesses where he is from.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean to suggest anything! Sorry!</p>
<p>JK!</p>
<p>Shrinkrap, West Indian accents are so charming!</p>
<p>I’m afraid that I have what the NYT once memorably referred to as a “potatoes in the mouth New Canaan accent.” :D</p>
<p>LOL-- Your post was a perfect example of how people reply to the “where are you from” question, shrinkrap. I was probably unclear. I meant that she said she left when she was 10, yet she had the most sacchariny sweet southern draaaawl without a hint of a NY accent. </p>
<p>She asked me where I was from. I don’t recall if she guessed or not, but she was quite surprised when I told her.</p>
<p>@jym I laughed a little bit too long at your joke! ;)</p>
<p>At least you guys aren’t told what race you are!</p>
<p>To go along with the differences in region thing, this just came up on my newsfeed and I found it went along with the thread: </p>
<p>[Father</a> of White Girl Rejects Black Boyfriend. What Would You Do? - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>(The father, daughter, and boyfriend are all actors but the rest of the restaurant has real people)
I don’t want to get into a race argument in the least, but I am the first to admit that I legitimately did not realize that people were still so open about racist views like this, even on camera. I will take that into consideration in the future. I just did not know.</p>
<p>And before any of this gets misinterpreted, I do not for a second think that the sub was saying that the OP didn’t belong (like the father insinuates with the basketball scholarship). I think the OP’s situation has been blown up beyond belief.</p>
<p>Where WAS that?</p>
<p>^ Utah .</p>
<p>It was Utah, Shrinkrap…</p>
<p>Man…a lot of thoughts popped in my mind when the women started crying…and they weren’t nice ones. </p>
<p>I laughed so hard when she said Mexicans were ok. She fails to realize that she has played a part in mixed children getting picked on. If you supposedly don’t want them to get picked on, why do you make a big stink about interracial relationships?</p>
<p>OMG. My daughter is in Utah…</p>
<p>@Shrinkrap LOL!</p>
<p>It’s ok, though, Shrinkrap. As long as she stays with her kind all is well.</p>
<p>Yeah, well, not too many of her kind there. We sort of knew that going in, but she did find a church and a place to get her hair done. And we visited downtown SLC, which wasn’t that different from where she grew up in N.Cal. </p>
<p>Yikes.</p>
<p>Fortunately, Shrink, I’m sure the majority of those from Utah do not think like this… or if they do, I don’t think they’d openly say it like this woman did. Let’s not forget about the man who had the guts to go up to the dad to tell him this wasn’t cool.</p>